Drawing device



Jan. 22, 1952 JAHNCKE 2,583,334

DRAWING DEVICE Filed Nov. 25, 1947 INV EN TOR.

Patented Jan. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 25, 1947, Serial No. 787,922

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel drawing device or drawing aid.

Drawing devices in the form of flexible longitudinal strips have been used in the past as aids or guides in the drawing of curves and for other drafting purposes. The most common device previously used for drawing circles and closely related geometric figures has been the ordinary compass. However, the compass is essentially a precision drafting instrument and lacks the flexibility and simplicity which are desirable in a drawing device intended primarily for use in producing decorative or amusing figures. other words, the compass is useful only for describing circles or arcuate portions thereof and has little or no utility when it is desired to draw orbiculate or other curvate figures which do not conform strictly to a circle. Moreover, the use of the compass involves a certain degree of mechanical adjustment with the result that the compass is not always a satisfactory device for use in the hands of children or inexperienced users thereof. Obviously, as an amusement device ior the entertainment of children the compass is highly unsuitable because of its sharp points and the attendant danger to the child. The scroll-like French curve has also been used in the past for drawing non-circular curves, but this instrument is likewise limited in its utility, is not at all adjustable, and demands a certain degree of dexterity not always possessed by children or inexperienced adults.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel device for drawing curvate figures and designs which is highly flexible in its operation, inexpensive to manufacture, and simple to-use. Q

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel drawing aid which permits the rapid and simple execution of geometric configurations based on the circle, arcuate portions thereof, or distorted forms thereof.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel drawing tool by means of which decorative designs of a fanciful or realistic nature based on the circle, or distorted curvilinear forms thereof, may be rapidly and simply executed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel toy or amusement device for use in drawing geometric and other designs which is completely safe for use by even a very young child, which requires no special mechanical adjustments, and which is easily manipulatable be tween the thumb andfingers to conform to the desired drawing shape.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reference to the accompanying drawing and the description thereof:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form ofthe drawing device of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

the type which can be readily executed with the drawing device of the present invention.

Briefly described, my novel drawing device comprises a .oneepiece circular rubber ring or annulus 6 shown in its natural, or undistorted position in Fig, l. The ring 6 is provided with a substantially flat bottom face 1 to permit the device to engage and adhere closely to a drawing surface when the ring is disposed in a drawing position. The remainder of the outer surface of the ring, other than the fiat portion I, preferably is bounded substantially entirely by smooth curves such as the rounded top portion 8 and the rounded side portions 9 and Ill as shown cross-sectionally in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

At the inner periphery of the ring 6 a circumferential rounded lip I l is provided which serves as a guiding or ruling edge for the pencil, pen orother drawinginstrument used. The lip II is particularly useful in cases in which it is desired to employ a pen for drawing the design since the lip tends to prevent the ink from contacting the lower portion [2 of the curved inner edge of the ring thereby avoiding the danger of blotting or smearing the design. v

The device is employed by disposing the ring with its fiat face 1 down in contact with the drawing surface, such as a sheet of paper, and the ring is then deformed to the desired shape by squeezing or otherwise manipulating the outer peripheral edge of the ring between the thumb and fingers as shown clearly in Fig. 4. When the ring 6 has been squeezed to the desired configuration between the thumb lsand forefinger M, a

pencil 15 may then be employed .to trace around the inner edgeof the ring, or around the outer edge if desired, thereby drawing the figure or design on the drawing surface.

To permit, the ring to be squeezed and deformed readily without planar distortion, buckling, or curling, it is desirable thatthe top face andv the sides of. the ring possess smooth curvideflected out] of the plane of the drawing sur- .face. -cessive degree of wrinkling or bunching of the rubber ring occurs ,at the inner periphery,. and

.Moreover, it has been noted that anexan excessive degree 'of stretching at outer periphery, when the ring is squeezed the rin is formed with a square, rectangular, or polygonal cross-section. The provision of rounded and smooth curvate surfaces at the sides and top face of the rin greatly minimizes the tendency toward buckling and wrinkling at its "inner and outer peripheries and permits the ring to assume a smooth desirable curve without irregularities.

The device is preferably formed from a rubber material such as natural rubber or a synthetic rubber. However, it will be apparent that any elastic or rubber-like composition'having the requisite degree of resiliency may be employed including the various synthetic plastics and elastomers having rubber-like properties. The material comprising the ring 6 should possess a certain degree of cross-sectional rigidity in order that the ring may retain the deformed shape after squeezing while at the same time adhering closely to the drawing surface without buckling. Thematerial must also be sufficiently elastic or resilient .to permit the ring to return to itsnormal circular shape after squeezing. When employing natural or synthetic rubber, a satisfactory combination of rigidity and resiliency in the ring may be obtained with rings having inher diameters ranging from about 2 inches up to about 4 inches with about 2 /2 inches being particularly suitable. A suitable thickness for rubber rings of the above size is from about T3? inch to about inch, and the outer diameter may be from about 2% inches to about 4% inches which corresponds to a ring width between the inner and outer peripheries of the order of from about inch to about inch. It will be understood that the foregoing dimensionsaregiven, only by way of example and that rings of widely different dimensions, dependent upon thenature and, properties of the material from which the ring is formed, may fall. within the scope ofmy invention.

Therin is simple to manufacture by employing a suitable moldfrom which the rings ma be cast in a single continuous 'piece. By suitable location of the complementary portions of the mold, the lip .II, .in .the. ring 6 may be readily formed when desired. Obviously, the. ring may be. manufactured. in any desired .color by combininga pigment with the rubber or other material from, which the ring is manufactured. The sales appeal and appearance of. the ring, is improved in many cases byforming. the ring from a substantially transparent .or translucent rubber or plastic composition.

InEig. .5 is illustrated a typical design of a fanciful figure of the. type which-can be readily executed with the drawingringof the present invention. The body. ,portionalfi of the figure is formed. by squeezing the ring to av roughly ellipsoi'dal shape, such as. shown in Fig. 4, and tracing, theinnerperiphery of the ring. .The legs I I- of the figure are. formed by squeezing the sides of the ring almost together but leaving a smallgap therebetween and thereafter tracing. the resultant lobiform outline to form the legs IL. The arms I8 and. ear IQ of the figure are produced by squeezingthesides of the ring until they are. in contact with each other at their inner edges. The resultant pearshaped outline is then tracted with apencil'to form the arm and .earportions. .It-will be apparent that innumerable combinations and variations of curvedfigures and; designs may be produced by simple manipulation o'fth'e ring.

Because of its relative simplicity, its high degree of flexibility, and the rapidity with which it may be used, the drawing ring device of my invention is particularly adapted for the production of decorative designs where freehand work is not feasible, such as in the case of one having only slight knowledge or skill in drawing and design. For the same reasons and for the added reason that the device is obviously completely safe in the hands of a child, the ring also is well suited for use as a drawing toy and amusement device. Although only "one specific form of the invention has been illustrated in the drawing, it will be apparent that modifications and variations of the device may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A drawing device comprising a circular ring made of resilient-rubber or the like, saidring having a cross-section substantially inthe form of a circle with its lower side flattened in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the ring and-the cross sectional contour of the ring being otherwise wholly curved. said flattened lower side bein located below the center of said circle, and "said ring being adapted to provide at its inner periphery a drawing edge of curved form the curvature of which may be altered by lateral pressure on the ring and the flattened side of the ring being adapted to rest fiatwise against a drawing surface.

2. A drawing device comprising a circular ring made of resilient rubber or the like; said ring'having a cross-section substantially in the form of a circle with its lower side flattened in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the ring and the cross-sectional contour of the ringbeing otherwise wholly curved, said flattened. lower side being' located below the center of said circle, and a rounded guide lip extending circumferentially around the inner periphery of the ring and adapted to provide at the inner periphery of the ring a drawing edge spaced above the flattened side and of curved form the curvature of which may be altered by lateral pressure on the ring, and the flattened side of the ring being adapted to rest flatwise against 'a drawing surface.

EVELYN JAHNCKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 145,914 Smith Dec. 23, 1873 832,382 Hay, Jr. Oct. 2, 1906 1,098,872 Akerberg June '2, 1914; 1,189,294 Ruggles .Jul 4, 1916! 1,352,470 Palmer Sept. 14, 1920 1,481,160 Switzer Jan. 15, 1924 1,489,550 Shaffer Apr. 8, 1924 1,790,957 Sykes Feb. 3, 1931 2,155,169 Moses Apr. 18', 1939 2,227,838 Main Jan. 7, 1941 2,438,153 Dick Mar. 23, 1948 2,444,119 Thorn et al June 29, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 395,014 France Dec. '16, 1908 466,618

Great Britain June 1, I937 

